Related Links

B-CU panel: Shutdown hurting colleges and students

Published: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 8:14 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 10:31 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH — As the partial federal shutdown continues, colleges and their students can expect to face long-term impacts, according to a panel of national and local experts.

Colleges and universities are dealing with not reaching the Department of Education to challenge issues such as default rates or federal student loans, Michael L. Lomax, president/CEO of the United Negro College Fund, told students and staff Tuesday at Bethune-Cookman University inside the Gertrude Hotchkiss Heyn Memorial Chapel.

Lomax and others on a panel Tuesday at the Inaugural Symposium said the shutdown can have a “devastating impact” on universities and students whose parents may not have access to various funds or services or who may work for the government and be out of work.

“It touches all of us,” Lomax said describing the situation in Congress as “a temper tantrum among adults.”

Leaders from historically black colleges and other smaller universities spoke at Tuesday’s Symposium, one of the events leading up to Bethune-Cookman University President Edison Jackson’s inauguration ceremony as the university’s sixth president. The ceremony is today at 1:30 p.m. at the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center, 698 International Speedway Blvd.

The symposium at Bethune-Cookman examined the impact of federal legislation on the future of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and smaller colleges.

Whether a HBCU or other private university, Wendy Libby, president of Stetson University in DeLand, who was on the panel, said the government shutdown is causing donors to “think about their next gift.” Investors hold back because they don’t know what will happen to their stocks and equity because of the shutdown, she said.

“Uncertainty is the worst thing that can happen to us,” Libby said.

Unrelated to the shutdown, Libby and other panelists pointed out how federal PLUS loans, taken out by parents to help finance their children’s college, are already more difficult to obtain with tightening of eligibility requirements. There are also questions about availability of federal Pell Grants and eligibility changes in other financial aid causing fewer students to be able to afford college.

Historically black colleges are impacted even more, panelists said, because in some cases about 90 percent of students rely on federal funding, including at B-CU.

Panelist Cheryl D. Dozier, president of Savannah State University, said parents are not able to afford textbooks or possibly classes and students are faced with not being able to return the next semester.

B-CU Sophomore Don’Tavius Sanders, 19, of Bartow expressed concern to the panel about students who have the credentials but not the finances to continue schooling when they are doing their best to improve themselves and their future. After the symposium, he said he lost $5,000 in federal aid because of changes to the PLUS loan. He now has a job on campus but it doesn’t pay for all his schooling and is unsure what aid he will receive next semester.

“I don’t know how much I’ll get,” Sanders said about federal aid. “It’s very hard.”

Lomax, of the United Negro College Fund, told him to “stay strong and stay with it.” His organization gives out about 13,000 scholarships a year. But, he said, it also has to turn down nine students for every student who is awarded money because there’s not enough funding.

Julianne Malveaux, moderator of the symposium and an author and former college president, encouraged students to write letters to their state and federal legislators.

Despite the various federal impacts, panelists said historically black colleges will remain although administrators have to refocus and ensure excellence is the standard.

“HBCUs are strong. This is a sector that will exist in the 21st century,” said Elfred A. Pinkard, executive vice president/chief operating officer of Johnson C. Smith University

<p><span class="Dateline">DAYTONA BEACH —</span> As the partial federal shutdown continues, colleges and their students can expect to face long-term impacts, according to a panel of national and local experts.</p><p>Colleges and universities are dealing with not reaching the Department of Education to challenge issues such as default rates or federal student loans, Michael L. Lomax, president/CEO of the United Negro College Fund, told students and staff Tuesday at Bethune-Cookman University inside the Gertrude Hotchkiss Heyn Memorial Chapel.</p><p> Lomax and others on a panel Tuesday at the Inaugural Symposium said the shutdown can have a “devastating impact” on universities and students whose parents may not have access to various funds or services or who may work for the government and be out of work.</p><p>“It touches all of us,” Lomax said describing the situation in Congress as “a temper tantrum among adults.”</p><p>Leaders from historically black colleges and other smaller universities spoke at Tuesday's Symposium, one of the events leading up to Bethune-Cookman University President Edison Jackson's inauguration ceremony as the university's sixth president. The ceremony is today at 1:30 p.m. at the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center, 698 International Speedway Blvd.</p><p>The symposium at Bethune-Cookman examined the impact of federal legislation on the future of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and smaller colleges.</p><p>Whether a HBCU or other private university, Wendy Libby, president of Stetson University in DeLand, who was on the panel, said the government shutdown is causing donors to “think about their next gift.” Investors hold back because they don't know what will happen to their stocks and equity because of the shutdown, she said.</p><p>“Uncertainty is the worst thing that can happen to us,” Libby said. </p><p>Unrelated to the shutdown, Libby and other panelists pointed out how federal PLUS loans, taken out by parents to help finance their children's college, are already more difficult to obtain with tightening of eligibility requirements. There are also questions about availability of federal Pell Grants and eligibility changes in other financial aid causing fewer students to be able to afford college.</p><p>Historically black colleges are impacted even more, panelists said, because in some cases about 90 percent of students rely on federal funding, including at B-CU.</p><p>Panelist Cheryl D. Dozier, president of Savannah State University, said parents are not able to afford textbooks or possibly classes and students are faced with not being able to return the next semester. </p><p>B-CU Sophomore Don'Tavius Sanders, 19, of Bartow expressed concern to the panel about students who have the credentials but not the finances to continue schooling when they are doing their best to improve themselves and their future. After the symposium, he said he lost $5,000 in federal aid because of changes to the PLUS loan. He now has a job on campus but it doesn't pay for all his schooling and is unsure what aid he will receive next semester.</p><p>“I don't know how much I'll get,” Sanders said about federal aid. “It's very hard.”</p><p>Lomax, of the United Negro College Fund, told him to “stay strong and stay with it.” His organization gives out about 13,000 scholarships a year. But, he said, it also has to turn down nine students for every student who is awarded money because there's not enough funding. </p><p>Julianne Malveaux, moderator of the symposium and an author and former college president, encouraged students to write letters to their state and federal legislators. </p><p>Despite the various federal impacts, panelists said historically black colleges will remain although administrators have to refocus and ensure excellence is the standard.</p><p>“HBCUs are strong. This is a sector that will exist in the 21st century,” said Elfred A. Pinkard, executive vice president/chief operating officer of Johnson C. Smith University</p>